Hans von Ohain

Hans Joachim Pabst von Ohain (December 14 1911-March 13 1998) was one of the inventors of jet propulsion, along with Frank Whittle. Born in Dessau, Germany, he earned a Ph.D in Physics and Aerodynamics from the University of Göttingen

Von Ohain earned a patent on his version of jet engines in 1936, and sponsored by Ernst Heinkel developed a successful liquid-fueled engine, the HeS.3B engine, while Heinkel's firm designed an experimental aircraft for the engine to be installed in, the Heinkel He 178. This resulted in the first turbojet powered aircraft flight on August 27, 1939 near Rostock, Germany from the Heinkel Airfield.

In 1947 von Ohain was brought to the United States by Project Paperclip and went to work for the United States Air Force at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. In 1956 he was made the Director of the Air Force Aeronautical Research Laboratory and by 1975 he was the Chief Scientist of the Aero Propulsion Laboratory there.

In 1991 von Ohain and Whittle were awarded the Charles Stark Draper Prize for their work on turbojet engines.